Non-truck vehicles - truck vehicle fleet

Abstract

A non-truck vehicle (100) comprising an inter-vehicle communication device (112) adapted to exchange negotiation information with at least one truck vehicle (122) in order to form a platoon (120) consisting of the non-truck vehicle (100) following exactly one truck vehicle (122), and adapted to receive platoon information when the platoon (120) exists, and a drive control device (110) adapted to control an intra-platoon distance (i) between the non-truck vehicle (100) and the truck vehicle (122) based on the received platoon information. According to a second aspect of the invention, a platoon (120) consisting of one truck vehicle (122) and a non-truck vehicle (100) adapted to drive behind said one truck (122). According to a third aspect of the invention, a method for forming a platoon (120) consisting of a first vehicle following a second vehicle, wherein one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle is a non-truck vehicle (100) and the other one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle is a truck vehicle (122).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle suitable as a member of a fleet, a fleet including such a vehicle, and a method for forming such a fleet. Background Technology

[0002] To reduce vehicle energy consumption, platooning on highways has been proposed to utilize the slipstream effect. However, its benefits are limited due to legal requirements regarding safe distances between vehicles and, consequently, between vehicles in a platoon. Furthermore, other vehicles not part of the platoon may cross it, for example, to enter or exit the highway. Moreover, the average energy saving of vehicles driving within a platoon is inversely proportional to the platoon length. Similar to slow-moving traffic, small deviations in the driving behavior of the vehicle ahead, such as short braking to reduce the distance to a vehicle that has suddenly stopped, can lead to larger deviations in the driving behavior of following vehicles; that is, the longer the platoon, the greater this deviation.

[0003] In view of the above, the object of the present invention is to overcome these limitations. In particular, the object of the present invention is to improve traffic safety and reduce fuel consumption by providing vehicles suitable as members of a fleet, fleets including such vehicles, and methods for forming such fleets. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to a first aspect of the invention, this objective is achieved by a non-truck vehicle comprising: an inter-vehicle communication device adapted to exchange negotiation information with at least one truck vehicle to form a convoy consisting of non-truck vehicles following exactly one truck vehicle, and adapted to receive convoy information when the convoy exists; and a driving control device adapted to control the intra-convoy distance between the non-truck vehicles and the truck vehicles based on the received convoy information.

[0005] Since the convoy consists of exactly one truck-type vehicle in front and exactly one non-truck-type vehicle driving behind the truck-type vehicle, in other words, this means that the convoy is a pair of non-truck-type vehicles and one truck-type vehicle, and it has a finite length. Therefore, it avoids the problem of crossing with other vehicles, as these other vehicles can easily cross behind or in front of the micro-convoy. Thus, by reducing the distance between the truck-type and non-truck-type vehicles to below the safe distance required for manual driving, the slipstream effect can be maximized. Furthermore, compared to existing convoys that include multiple vehicles driving behind the first vehicle, the maximum reduction in energy consumption is achieved. Moreover, if information is transmitted from one vehicle to another in a chain, the time delay in receiving information, particularly from the last vehicle in the convoy, is minimized. Therefore, the impact of waiting time is reduced. Due to the lower waiting time when receiving information, non-truck-type vehicles can quickly adjust their driving behavior, and thus, the convoy and traffic safety within the convoy are improved. Furthermore, while traditional convoys with more than two vehicles may suffer from difficulties in maintaining convoy stability, in the convoy of the present invention consisting of exactly one truck-type vehicle and exactly one non-truck-type vehicle, it is easier to maintain the target vehicle distance between the two vehicles.

[0006] To react as quickly as possible to the maneuvers of truck-type vehicles, inter-vehicle communication devices receive convoy information from the truck-type vehicles, and the driving control unit uses this convoy information to control non-truck-type vehicles, such as the distance between the non-truck-type vehicles and the truck-type vehicles ahead, and / or to brake the vehicles. The convoy information may include information about at least one anticipated action and / or at least one reaction from the truck-type vehicles. Due to the convoy information, the sensing and reaction capabilities of the non-truck-type vehicles are enhanced, and the non-truck-type vehicles are able to drive closely behind the truck-type vehicles without compromising safety.

[0007] For example, to transmit negotiation information over long distances between non-truck vehicles and truck vehicles, it may be advantageous if the negotiation information is exchanged via telecommunication and the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device is adapted to exchange the negotiation information via telecommunication, such as cellular or ultra-wideband communication.

[0008] It should be noted that, in the context of this invention, a truck-type vehicle may be a truck configured to transport goods or a bus configured to carry multiple passengers.

[0009] To increase slipflow, the truck-type vehicle can be a truck-type vehicle with a permissible gross weight of more than 7,200 kg, preferably more than 27,200 kg. The truck-type vehicle is typically driven at a substantially continuous speed, thereby increasing fuel efficiency for following non-truck-type vehicles. Since the drivers of the truck-type vehicle are typically highly experienced professional drivers, the following non-truck-type vehicles benefit from this level of driving experience, and lower levels of driving experience may be compensated for. Furthermore, if driver assistance systems or even systems for autonomous driving are installed in the preceding truck-type vehicle, the following non-truck-type vehicles can benefit from such technologies and their safety can be enhanced.

[0010] Advantageously, the non-truck vehicle can be a non-truck vehicle with a normal permissible gross weight of less than 4,600 kg, preferably less than 3,900 kg. In this case, the term "normal" refers, for example, to the fact that a gross weight of 3.7t is permitted based on a special permit for a motorhome. However, in most cases, the non-truck vehicle will be a passenger vehicle. Such non-truck vehicles typically have shorter braking distances, allowing for a further reduction in the safe distance between non-truck and truck vehicles and an increase in the slip-flow effect.

[0011] According to an embodiment, the driving control device may be adapted to control the driving speed of a non-truck vehicle based on speed change information received by an inter-vehicle communication device as part of convoy information from truck vehicles. In this embodiment, the non-truck vehicle receives information about actual or anticipated speed changes of the truck vehicles, such as braking or acceleration processes. To improve the reaction time of the non-truck vehicle, speed change intention information may be sent from the preceding vehicle to the following vehicle even before the braking or acceleration mechanism of the preceding vehicle is actually activated. The speed change intention information may be based on data from an automatic speed control system, any other driver assistance system, or a system for autonomous driving. Alternatively, even if no significant speed change has occurred, the speed change intention information may also include information about the initiation of braking or acceleration (e.g., information that the brake pedal or accelerator pedal has been touched). Based on the received speed change intention information, the driving control device of the non-truck vehicle can prepare the vehicle for an impending braking or acceleration action, and thus allow the non-truck vehicle to react more quickly, preferably almost simultaneously, to the behavior of the truck vehicles.

[0012] Those skilled in the art will understand that braking action does not necessarily require movement of the brake pedal. Rather, it can be conceived that braking action refers to any negative acceleration, i.e., acceleration that reduces the vehicle's speed, such as releasing the accelerator pedal.

[0013] Furthermore, the driving control device can also be adapted to control the steering of non-truck vehicles based on steering information received from inter-vehicle communication devices as part of convoy information from truck vehicles. The steering information may include information about performing and / or initiating and / or about to initiate a steering action. Additionally, steering intention information may include information about truck vehicles performing short steering actions to react to lateral deviations orthogonal to the truck's direction of travel due to road conditions, or as a reaction to crosswinds, etc. To improve the reaction time of non-truck vehicles, steering intention information can be sent from the preceding vehicle to the following vehicle even before the steering mechanism of the preceding vehicle actually operates. This steering intention information may be based on data from an automatic lane-keeping system, any other driver assistance system, or a system for autonomous driving. Therefore, non-truck vehicles can react more quickly to the steering actions of truck vehicles, and non-truck vehicles can drive more synchronously behind truck vehicles. As a result, safety can be improved, and the slipstream effect can be utilized more effectively.

[0014] To enhance driving safety, particularly for non-truck vehicles, the driving control device can be adapted to control the non-truck vehicles based on environmental information received by inter-vehicle communication devices as part of fleet information from truck vehicles. This environmental information, in particular, comes from at least one sensor, such as a camera, radar system, lidar system, etc. For example, the environmental information may include a list of objects detected by the truck vehicles in their vicinity. In this way, insufficient visibility caused by the small distance between the truck vehicles and the non-truck vehicles can be at least partially, and preferably completely, compensated for. This allows the non-truck vehicles to drive closely behind the truck vehicles.

[0015] Furthermore, the driving control unit can be adapted to control the vehicle based on truck condition information received from the inter-vehicle communication device as part of the fleet information from the trucks. This truck condition information includes speed change capability information and / or steering capability information and / or detection capability information. This truck condition information allows the driving control unit to further enhance its response to the handling of the trucks, or even predict the behavior of the trucks.

[0016] Truck-type vehicle speed change capability information and / or steering capability information may include information about the technical conditions of the truck-type vehicle's electric motor, braking system, or steering system, and it may be affected by multiple factors, such as the truck-type vehicle's speed and / or the weight of the truck-type vehicle's load and / or the road's inclination; only the most important factors are mentioned here. Detection capability information may include information about the truck-type vehicle's sensor equipment and / or detection range information, such as information about reduced detection range due to factors like fog. For example, if the truck-type vehicle cannot avoid an accident due to its high inertia, the driving control unit can, based on the received information, control non-truck-type vehicles, such as preventing non-truck-type vehicles from intervening in accidents.

[0017] To reduce energy consumption, not all feasible fleets consisting of both non-truck and truck vehicles are equally suitable. Therefore, the inter-vehicle communication device may include a pairing candidate unit adapted to identify truck vehicles as pairing candidates based on negotiation information and considering at least one pairing criterion, and to calculate negotiation characteristics. For example, negotiation information may include, for instance, a planned route calculated by a navigation or route planning system, and / or, for instance, the position of the truck vehicles detected by a GPS system unit or gyroscope sensor unit, and / or, for instance, an average speed calculated by a speed detection unit, and / or a detailed list of negotiation characteristics. For instance, at least one pairing criterion may be at least one of a calculated availability value, determined shared benefits, the calculated average speed of the fleet, the predicted duration of the fleet formation period, the length of the joint route, the initial distance between non-truck and truck vehicles, the expected fuel reduction, the projected cost savings, and / or the difference between the average speed of the truck vehicles and the set speed of the non-truck vehicles. The predicted duration of the fleet formation period may represent the time period between the point in time when both the physical fleet and the pairing data connection are established and the point in time when the pairing data connection is disconnected and / or the physical fleet disbands. The time period is predicted taking into account the expected routes of trucks, the planned routes of non-trucks, and the average speed of trucks.

[0018] To compensate for potentially higher energy consumption by trucks, for example, due to the transmission of fleet information, negotiated features can be calculated, such as the cost per kilometer of a joint route or credits for reduced CO2 emissions. Therefore, negotiated information and / or fleet information must be taken into account.

[0019] The reaction time of non-truck vehicles, particularly the reaction time of their driving controls, decreases with the speed at which relevant information becomes available. For example, the shorter the time between a truck sending convoy information and a non-truck receiving it, the faster the driving control can adjust the control of the non-truck. Therefore, vehicle-to-vehicle communication devices are suitable for receiving convoy information via short-range communication, such as V2X. For rapid response by non-truck vehicles, and to enhance convoy and intra-convoy traffic safety, fast and highly stable short-range communication is advantageous for the essentially continuous transmission of convoy information.

[0020] The exchange of negotiation information typically occurs over long distances and requires a lower level of stable communication. For such long-distance communication, long-range communication technologies, such as cellular or ultra-wideband communication, can be used to exchange negotiation information.

[0021] In the context of this invention, V2X communication, i.e., vehicle-to-everything communication, can be communication used to exchange information between vehicles and other vehicles, and between vehicles and transportation infrastructure. For example, but not limited to, WLAN or 802.11p can be used.

[0022] In a second aspect of the invention, a convoy is provided, comprising a truck-type vehicle and non-truck-type vehicles according to a first aspect of the invention, the non-truck-type vehicles being adapted to drive behind the truck-type vehicle. The convoy of the second aspect of the invention achieves the same or corresponding advantages and effects as the first aspect of the invention described above.

[0023] The second aspect of the invention describes a convoy of limited length in which non-truck vehicles drive in association with truck vehicles. This avoids the problem of crossing with other vehicles, which can easily cross behind or in front of the convoy. Therefore, the slipstream effect is maximized by reducing the distance between truck and non-truck vehicles to below the safe distance required for manual driving. Furthermore, a maximum reduction in energy consumption is achieved compared to prior art convoys comprising multiple vehicles driving behind a first vehicle. Non-truck vehicles can react quickly to the maneuvers of truck vehicles with reduced waiting time for forwarding information, and convoy and intra-convoy traffic safety are improved.

[0024] In order to communicate with non-truck vehicles, the truck vehicles preferably include at least one vehicle-to-vehicle communication device adapted to exchange negotiation information with the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device of the non-truck vehicles and adapted to send fleet information to the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device of the non-truck vehicles.

[0025] The fleet information sent to the non-truck vehicles may include environmental information. Specifically, the truck vehicles may include at least one sensor, such as a camera, radar system, lidar system, etc., for detecting parameters related to the truck vehicle's environment, such as surrounding objects, visibility conditions, or weather conditions. The environmental information obtained by the truck vehicles in this manner can then be transmitted to the non-truck vehicles wirelessly via inter-vehicle communication devices between the two vehicles.

[0026] Since the fleet of this invention consists of only two vehicles, the trucks can send fleet information for controlling the active fleet to only one other vehicle. However, the fleet information can also be sent simultaneously to at least one additional device not installed on the vehicle, for example, to a remote server that can be connected to the Internet. The remote server can be controlled by the fleet operator, for example, operating multiple trucks.

[0027] According to another embodiment, the non-truck vehicle can be an autonomous vehicle. This means that the non-truck vehicle can be at least SAE Level 3 according to the Society of Automotive Engineers, where the driver is at least temporarily a passenger and the autonomous driving system monitors the driving environment. Therefore, it is possible to further reduce the distance between the non-truck vehicle and the truck vehicle, leading to a further reduction in fuel consumption without compromising driving comfort.

[0028] In another embodiment, the matching candidate unit may include a human-machine interface unit adapted to adjust a weighting factor of at least one matching criterion. Thus, the driver of the non-truck vehicle can adjust the determination of matching candidates and / or select truck vehicles as matching candidates according to his / her preferences. This results in enhanced perceived benefits, such as driver and / or passenger comfort and the frequency with which non-truck vehicles are driven in a fleet according to the invention.

[0029] According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to a method for forming a convoy, the convoy consisting of a first vehicle following a second vehicle, wherein one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle may be a non-truck vehicle, and the other of the first vehicle and the second vehicle may be a truck vehicle, the method comprising:

[0030] Step 1: The vehicle-to-vehicle communication device of the first vehicle sends pairing intention information, which can be received by at least one second vehicle;

[0031] Step 2: The inter-vehicle communication device of the first vehicle receives the negotiation information sent by at least one second vehicle;

[0032] Step 3: Based on the negotiation information and taking into account at least one pairing criterion, determine the selected second vehicle as a pairing candidate;

[0033] Step 4: Establish a paired data connection between the inter-vehicle communication device of the first vehicle and the selected second vehicle for exchanging fleet information;

[0034] Step 5: Establish a physical convoy where the first and second vehicles can approach each other, and non-truck vehicles can queue behind truck vehicles, and

[0035] Step 6: Control the intra-fleet distance between the non-truck vehicles and the truck vehicles by controlling the driving of the non-truck vehicles based on the received fleet information.

[0036] The method for forming a convoy according to the invention ensures optimal configuration of the convoy, consisting of both non-truck and truck vehicles. Since the formed convoy comprises exactly one truck vehicle in front and exactly one non-truck vehicle driving behind the truck, it has a finite length. Therefore, it avoids the problem of crossing with other vehicles, which can easily cross behind or in front of the convoy. Thus, the slipstream effect is maximized by reducing the distance between the truck and non-truck vehicles to below the safe distance required for manual driving. Furthermore, a maximum reduction in energy consumption is achieved compared to prior art convoys comprising multiple vehicles driving behind the first vehicle. Additionally, other effects and advantages of the first and second aspects of the invention as described above can be obtained.

[0037] Since the pairing information and negotiation information are sent and received as performed in steps 1 and 2, inter-vehicle communication can be established only between vehicles preparing to form a convoy. Determining the selected second vehicle according to step 3 ensures that the convoy consists of exactly one non-truck vehicle and one truck vehicle. Furthermore, a reproducible determination process is established by determining the selected second vehicle based on the negotiation information and considering at least one pairing criterion. Therefore, it allows the selected second vehicle to best meet the requirements of the first vehicle represented by at least one pairing criterion. To be able to react as quickly as possible to the maneuvering of the truck vehicle, the inter-vehicle communication device can receive convoy information from the truck vehicle, and the driving control device can control the non-truck vehicle based on said convoy information. Therefore, it is advantageous if a pairing data connection is established. To form a convoy according to the invention, a physical convoy is established. Since the pairing data connection can be established before the physical convoy is established, it is advantageous if the steps are performed independently. Based on the received convoy information, the driving control device is able to control the intra-convoy distance between the non-truck vehicle and the truck vehicle, and thus allows the non-truck vehicle to react quickly, preferably almost simultaneously, to the behavior of the truck vehicle in order to advantageously utilize slipstream effects and avoid accidents.

[0038] When the convoy is to be disbanded at the end of the route, the paired data connection can be disconnected, and the vehicles can be operated to drive again individually and independently. For clarity, it should be noted that, according to the invention, during the entire time period between establishing and disconnecting the paired data connection, i.e., during the time the convoy exists, the convoy can be formed by exactly one non-truck vehicle following exactly one truck vehicle.

[0039] Before reaching the end of a route, there may be situations where it is desirable to loosen the convoy for a specific time or section, such as when passing through a road construction site or during a stop at a service area. In embodiments of the invention, the method can therefore pause the convoy for a specific pause time or section, wherein control of the convoy distance between non-truck and truck vehicles is temporarily suspended, and the convoy can then resume at the end of the pause time or section, where control of the convoy distance between non-truck and truck vehicles is reactivated via paired data connections. Thus, in the convoy's pause mode, paired data connections can be temporarily deactivated and / or the physical convoy can be temporarily disbanded. However, during the convoy pause, vehicles remain logically associated with each other as members of the paused convoy. Specifically, a pause signal can be sent between vehicles to notify both vehicles of switching to pause mode. At the end of the pause time or section, paired data connections can be reactivated, and the physical convoy can be re-established without requiring a new negotiation process or other confirmations that would typically be necessary when forming a new convoy. For example, terminating the pause mode can be initiated by exchanging pause termination signals between vehicles. In other words, the convoy can switch from normal driving mode to pause mode and then back to normal driving mode.

[0040] For example, road construction sites or service areas can create temporary road closures. When driving within construction sites or service areas, it may be desirable to loosen the convoy, such as by allowing increased spacing within the convoy for added safety or convenience.

[0041] A convoy can switch to pause mode by having the driver send a pause signal or by intentionally (manually) increasing the distance between vehicles by a few meters. Alternatively, the convoy can automatically switch to pause mode based on data received from sensors, navigation systems, or other vehicles—that is, without dedicated user interaction. For example, if a truck's sensors detect a construction site, or if the truck receives information from a construction site, for example, via V2X communication, or if one of the vehicles is detected leaving or intending to leave a highway driving lane, or if map data from the navigation system indicates a pause section, such as an upcoming toll plaza, the convoy can switch to pause mode to temporarily halt convoy driving. Furthermore, the data triggering pause mode can be included in convoy information exchanged between vehicles.

[0042] In pause mode, both vehicles can be controlled individually by their respective drivers or by their respective autonomous driving functions. However, the two vehicles remain logically assigned to each other as members of a fleet and preferably remain within the communication range of the paired data connection to facilitate reactivation of the connection or re-establishment of the fleet's normal driving mode. Even if the paired data connection is exceeded for any reason during pause mode, the negotiation information for the two vehicles remains stored in the system, allowing the paired data connection to be quickly reactivated without new negotiation once the two vehicles resume their relationship.

[0043] Advantageously, the negotiation information may include the expected route and / or the location and / or average speed of the corresponding vehicles and / or a negotiation feature list and / or the pairing criteria may be at least one of the following: a calculated availability value, a determined sharing benefit, a calculated average speed of the convoy, a predicted duration of the convoy formation period, the length of the joint route, the initial distance between non-truck vehicles and truck vehicles, the expected fuel reduction, the expected cost savings, and / or the difference between the average speed of the second vehicle and the set speed of the first vehicle.

[0044] The predicted duration of platoon formation can be represented as the time interval between the point in time when both the physical platoon and the paired data connection are established, and the point in time when the paired data connection is disconnected and / or the physical platoon disbands. This time interval is predicted taking into account the expected routes of trucks, the planned routes of non-trucks, and the average speed of trucks.

[0045] It should be emphasized here that the vehicle-to-vehicle communication devices and / or driving control devices for non-truck vehicles and / or vehicle-to-vehicle communication devices for truck vehicles according to the present invention can be implemented, in part or in whole, by a processor such as a central processing unit (CPU) that executes programs (software) stored in memory. All or some of their components can be implemented by hardware such as large-scale integrated circuits (LSI), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), or field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), and / or by a combination of software and hardware. The program can be pre-stored in a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or flash memory, and can be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and mounted on the storage device when the storage medium is mounted on the drive device. Attached Figure Description

[0046] The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, wherein:

[0047] Figure 1A schematic layout of a non-truck type vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0048] Figure 2 A schematic layout of a convoy according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, the convoy consisting of... Figure 1 The non-truck type vehicles shown are composed of truck type vehicles.

[0049] Figure 3 A schematic layout of communication within a fleet in an embodiment is shown.

[0050] Figure 4 An embodiment of the present invention is shown of a human-machine interface unit for a non-truck vehicle, which is adapted to adjust the weighting factor of at least one pairing criterion.

[0051] Figure 5 A schematic flowchart of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0052] Figure 6 A schematic flowchart of the algorithm executed by the pairing candidate unit of the non-truck type vehicle in the embodiment is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0053] exist Figure 1 In the figures, the non-truck type vehicle according to the invention is generally indicated by reference numeral 100.

[0054] The non-truck vehicle 100 includes a chassis 102, brakes 104, powertrain 106, steering system 108, driving control unit 110, and vehicle-to-vehicle communication unit 112. To control the non-truck vehicle, the driving control unit 110 can transmit information to the chassis 102, brakes 104, powertrain 106, and steering system 108. To exchange information, such as fleet information, the driving control unit 110 and the vehicle-to-vehicle communication unit 112 are connected.

[0055] Furthermore, the inter-vehicle communication device 112 includes a pairing candidate unit 114. The inter-vehicle communication device 112 and the pairing candidate unit 114 exchange negotiation information, including information about the identified pairing candidates.

[0056] Figure 2 A convoy 120 is shown, comprising non-truck vehicles 100 (cars in this example) and a leading truck vehicle 122 (a heavy truck in this example). This means that the truck vehicle 122 and the non-truck vehicles 100 travel in the same direction, and the truck vehicle 122 passes a location first. To form the convoy 120, an inter-vehicle communication device 112 exchanges negotiation information with at least one truck vehicle. Based on the received negotiation information and considering at least one pairing criterion 124 (see...),... Figure 4In the case of a vehicle-to-vehicle communication device 112, the pairing candidate unit 114 can identify the truck as a pairing candidate and output this to the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device 112. The vehicle-to-vehicle communication device 112 can notify the selected truck 122 via the exchange of negotiation information about its selection and can enter into a pairing contract with the truck 122.

[0057] When convoy 120 is present, a paired data connection is established between non-truck vehicles 100 and truck vehicles 122. Inter-vehicle communication device 112 receives convoy information from truck vehicles 122. Based on the convoy information received from inter-vehicle communication device 112, driving control device 110 controls the intra-convoy distance i. The intra-convoy distance i is the distance between non-truck vehicles 100 and truck vehicles 122 during the time convoy 120 is present.

[0058] When the driving control unit 110 controls the non-truck vehicle 100 based on fleet information from the truck vehicle 122, the non-truck vehicle 100 is able to react earlier and almost in parallel with the truck vehicle 122.

[0059] The platoon distance i can be lower than the safe distance required for manual driving. By reducing the platoon distance i, the slipstream effect increases, thereby reducing the energy required to drive the non-truck vehicle 100. Furthermore, the length L of the platoon 120 extending from the front 122a of the truck vehicle 122 to the rear 110a of the non-truck vehicle 100 is limited.

[0060] In addition to the platoon distance i, the driving control unit 110 can control the steering and / or lane keeping of the non-truck vehicle 100 based on the received platoon information.

[0061] Figure 2 The vehicles 100 and 122 shown may have the following permissible gross weights. Truck-type vehicle 122 may have a permissible gross weight greater than 7,200 kg, preferably greater than 27,200 kg. In addition, non-truck-type vehicles may have a normal permissible gross weight less than 4,600 kg, preferably less than 3,900 kg.

[0062] The fleet information received from the truck vehicle 122 may include braking intention information and / or acceleration intention information. Based on this braking intention information and / or acceleration intention information, the driving control device 110 of the non-truck vehicle 100 calculates braking or acceleration actions as needed, and sends information, for example, to the brakes or accelerators of the non-truck vehicle 100.

[0063] Additionally, the fleet information received by the non-truck vehicle 100 from the truck vehicle 122 may include steering intention information. Based on this steering intention information, the driving control unit 110 of the non-truck vehicle 100 calculates the required steering action and sends steering adjustment information to, for example, the steering device 108. However, the non-truck vehicle 100 may ignore short-term steering corrections by the truck vehicle 122 below a predetermined threshold (e.g., 0.5 to 5 seconds) due to factors such as crosswinds or uneven road surfaces.

[0064] Furthermore, fleet information may include environmental information, such as a list of objects detected by the truck 122 around it or the condition of the road ahead of the truck. For example, if the truck 122 detects road work ahead, it can send the corresponding environmental information to the non-truck vehicle 100, whose driving control unit 110 can then calculate steering adjustment commands and / or speed change commands based on the environmental information to control the driving of the non-truck vehicle 100, for example, by increasing the distance i within the fleet.

[0065] In cases where, for example, a convoy distance i determined due to safety concerns within the roadwork route would exceed communication range and the paired data connection would be lost, the non-truck vehicle 100 may notify the truck vehicle 122. The convoy 120 may be suspended for the determined route, for example, until the truck vehicle 122 and the non-truck vehicle 100 have traversed the roadwork route. Then, the non-truck vehicle 100 approaches the truck vehicle 122, and the convoy 120 is re-established.

[0066] Based on braking capability information, acceleration capability information, steering capability information, and / or detection capability information as part of the fleet information, the driving control device 110 can not only predictively incorporate the actual driving behavior of the truck 122, but also predictively incorporate the future behavior of the truck 122. For example, if the truck 122 is notified of limited visibility via detection capability information, the driving control device 110 of the non-truck vehicle 100 can determine the necessary increase in the distance i within the fleet in order to maximize safety and adjust it accordingly.

[0067] refer to Figure 3 It describes the interaction between non-truck vehicles 100 and truck vehicles within a fleet of 120.

[0068] Since the distance between the non-truck vehicle 100 and the truck vehicle 122 may be large, such as 10 km, before the convoy 120 is formed, the non-truck vehicle 100 and the truck vehicle 122 can exchange negotiation information via remote communication 126a, such as cellular communication.

[0069] Negotiated information may include the expected route and / or the location and / or average speed of truck 122 and / or a detailed list of negotiated characteristics.

[0070] When a convoy is present, the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device 112 receives convoy information from the trucks 122. This convoy information can be transmitted via short-range communication 126b (e.g., V2X communication). In addition to the non-trucks 100, the trucks can connect to at least one other device 130, such as an Internet service platform, via long-range communication 128, such as cellular communication.

[0071] According to the example, the truck-type vehicle includes an inter-vehicle communication device 132 that exchanges negotiation information with the inter-vehicle communication device 112 of the non-truck-type vehicle 100 and sends fleet information to the inter-vehicle communication device 112 of the non-truck-type vehicle 100. Environmental information is detected by at least one sensor 134. The at least one sensor 134 sends environmental information to the inter-vehicle communication device 132 of the truck-type vehicle 122, which in turn sends fleet information including environmental information to the inter-vehicle communication device 112 of only one non-truck-type vehicle 100. The at least one sensor 134 may include, for example, at least one camera, at least one radar system, at least one lidar system, etc.

[0072] The matching candidate unit 114 identifies truck-type vehicles 122 as matching candidates to form a fleet 120. The truck-type vehicles send negotiation information, such as expected routes and / or the positions and / or average speeds of the corresponding vehicles and / or a detailed list of negotiation characteristics. Based on the negotiation information, the matching candidate unit 114 determines at least one matching criterion. Based on said at least one matching criterion 124, the matching candidate unit determines a score value for each truck-type vehicle 122 of interest in matching.

[0073] According to the embodiments, at least one pairing standard can be defined, such as three pairing standards 124a, 124b, and 124c.

[0074] The first pairing criterion 124a can be the calculated average speed of the convoy 120, which is, for example, a combination of the average speed of the truck 122 and the initial distance between the non-truck 100 and the truck 122. The pairing candidate unit 114 can determine the initial distance between the non-truck 100 and the truck 122 based on the actual position of the non-truck 100 and the position of the truck 122 as part of the negotiation information. The high average speed of the truck 122 results in a high calculated average speed for the convoy 120; therefore, the first pairing criterion 124a can be better rated.

[0075] The second pairing criterion 124b can be defined as shared benefits. These shared benefits can be calculated based on the initial distance from the non-truck vehicle 100 to the truck vehicle 122 without slippage, a negotiation feature list, and the predicted duration of the convoy formation period, such as the expected cost per kilometer of the joint route or a credit line for reduced CO2 emissions. The predicted duration of the convoy formation period can represent the time between the establishment of both the physical convoy and the paired data connection, and the time when the paired data connection is broken and / or the physical convoy disbands. This time period is predicted considering the average speed of the truck vehicle 122 and the length of the joint route, determined based on the expected route of the truck vehicle 122 and the planned route of the non-truck vehicle 100. A small negotiation feature list, a small initial distance to the truck vehicle 122, and a high predicted duration of the convoy formation period can favorablely influence the shared benefits.

[0076] As a third pairing criterion 124c, the availability value can be defined based on the predicted duration of the convoy and the speed difference between vehicles. In particular, a longer predicted duration of the convoy can have a positive impact on the availability value because non-truck vehicles 100 can benefit from convoy travel, such as slipstream effects on longer sections of their routes. Furthermore, a small speed difference (defined as the difference between the average speed of truck vehicles 122 and the set speed of non-truck vehicles 100) can also positively influence the availability value.

[0077] If two or more pairing criteria exist, a normalization factor for at least one of the pairing criteria can be defined to allow comparison of the two or more pairing criteria. An example of three pairing criteria 124a, 124b, and 124c is shown in... Figure 4 As shown in the diagram, the value of at least one of the pairing criteria is multiplied by its corresponding normalization factor. The product of one pairing criterion and its corresponding normalization factor can be added to at least one other product of at least one other pairing criterion and its corresponding normalization factor, and the resulting sum can determine the score value. In this example, a value v is assigned to each of pairing criteria 124a, 124b, and 124c. a v b v c and normalization factor n a n b n c It can be calculated using the formula ∑(v) j *n j The score is calculated using a method called ), where j represents a pairing criterion. The pairing candidate unit 114 can identify the truck vehicle 122 with the highest score that is of interest in pairing as a pairing candidate.

[0078] Truck 122, acting as a pairing candidate, can send a detailed list of negotiation characteristics as part of the negotiation information, such as the expected cost per kilometer of the joint route or a credit line for reducing CO2 emissions. According to an embodiment, the negotiation characteristics depend on the length of the joint route and the calculated average speed of the convoy 120. Pairing candidate unit 114 can calculate the length of the joint route and the calculated average speed of the convoy 120. Based on the length of the joint route, the calculated average speed of the convoy 120, and the negotiation characteristics, pairing candidate unit 114 can also calculate the negotiation characteristics. To prevent tampering due to unforeseen events, pairing candidate unit 114 can calculate the negotiation characteristics at least at or after the end of the time period in which the convoy 120 exists.

[0079] like Figure 4 As shown, the matching candidate unit 114 may include a human-machine interface unit 136. The human-machine interface unit 136 may include an input / output device 138, such as a screen or touchpad, adapted for a driver or passenger to adjust the weighting factor of at least one matching criterion according to their preferences. The input / output device 138 may be formed as or display a polygon, wherein the number of sides corresponds to the number of matching criteria, which in this example are three matching criteria 124a, 124b, and 124c. Furthermore, the human-machine interface unit 136 may include a user input device 140, such as a knob, slider, etc. The driver or passenger adjusts the weighting factor of each matching criterion 124a, 124b, and 124c according to their preferences via the user input device 140. The weighting factor may take any value on a predetermined scale, preferably between 0 and 1.

[0080] It should be emphasized that the present invention is not limited to the human-machine interface unit 136 described herein.

[0081] If the input / output device 138 is formed as a polygon, pairing criteria 124a, 124b, 124c can be assigned to each corner of the input / output device 138. The user input device 140 is placed at a desired location within the input / output device 138. Based on the desired location of the user input device 140, the human-machine interface unit 136 can determine the weighting factor for each pairing criterion 124a, 124b, 124c and can output the weighting factor to the pairing candidate unit 114. If the user input device 140 is located at a corner, the weighting factor for the corresponding pairing criterion 124a, 124b, 124c is the maximum weighting factor, for example, 1, and the weighting factors for the corresponding other pairing criteria 124a, 124b, 124c are the minimum weighting factors, for example, 0.

[0082] To determine the score of the truck vehicle 122 of interest in pairing, the pairing candidate unit 114 can multiply the values ​​of pairing criteria 124a, 124b, and 124c by the corresponding weighting factors, and then sum the products. The pairing candidate unit 114 identifies the truck vehicle 122 of interest in pairing with the highest score as the pairing candidate.

[0083] In the example of the three pairing criteria 124a, 124b, and 124c, a corresponding value v is assigned to each pairing criterion 124a, 124b, and 124c. a v b v c Normalization factor n a n b n c and weighting factor w a w b w c It can be calculated using the formula ∑(v) j *n j *w j The score is calculated using ), where j represents a pairing criterion.

[0084] In another embodiment, the human-machine interface unit 136 includes an input / output device 138 that allows the driver or passenger to be presented, for example, in the form of a list or arranged on a map, the calculated values ​​of the pairing criteria 124a, 124b, 124c for all trucks 122 of interest in pairing. Furthermore, the input / output device 138 allows the driver or passenger to select one of the trucks 122 as a pairing candidate based on his / her preference for the pairing criteria 124a, 124b, 124c.

[0085] The following will refer to Figure 5 The flowchart describes in more detail an embodiment of a method for forming a convoy consisting of a first vehicle following a second vehicle, wherein one of the first and second vehicles may be a non-truck vehicle 122, and the other of the first and second vehicles may be a truck vehicle.

[0086] The method begins at step S100, in which the inter-vehicle communication device 112 of the non-truck vehicle 100 (first vehicle) sends pairing intention information. The pairing intention information may be sent, for example, via V2X communication or a backend server. Furthermore, the pairing intention information may be received by at least one truck vehicle 122 (second vehicle).

[0087] Then, the method proceeds to step S110, in which the inter-vehicle communication device 112 of the non-truck vehicle 100 (first vehicle) receives negotiation information sent by at least one truck vehicle 122 (second vehicle).

[0088] Next, in step S120, based on the negotiation information and considering at least one pairing criterion (124a, 124b, 124c), the selected truck-type vehicle (second vehicle) is determined as a pairing candidate.

[0089] Advantageously, the method may include an additional step S122, in which it is determined whether a pairing contract has been concluded between the non-truck vehicle 100 (first vehicle) and the truck vehicle 122 (second vehicle). If this is not the case (S122: No), the method proceeds to step S170, in which the method terminates.

[0090] After step S120, if a pairing contract has been concluded between the non-truck vehicle 100 (first vehicle) and the truck vehicle 122 (second vehicle) (step S122: yes), the method proceeds to the optional step S124, in which the sending of pairing intention information is stopped.

[0091] Next, the method proceeds to step S130, in which a paired data connection is established between the inter-vehicle communication device 112 of the non-truck vehicle 100 (first vehicle) and the truck vehicle 122 (second vehicle) to exchange fleet information.

[0092] It is not necessary to establish the physical convoy 120 in step S140, but rather preferably substantially in parallel with step S130. Thus, non-truck vehicles 100 and truck vehicles 122 approach each other, and non-truck vehicles 100 queue behind truck vehicles 122.

[0093] Then, the method proceeds to step S150, in which the driving control device 110 of the non-truck vehicle 100 controls the intra-fleet distance i between the non-truck vehicle 100 and the truck vehicle 122 based on fleet information received from the truck vehicle 122.

[0094] Next, it can be checked whether the passengers or drivers of the non-truck vehicle 100 (first vehicle) or the truck vehicle 122 (second vehicle) want to end the convoy 120 (step S152). If this is not the case (step S152: No), the method continues to control the distance i within the convoy according to step S150.

[0095] If a passenger or driver of non-truck vehicle 100 or truck vehicle 122 wants to end the pairing (step S152: yes) or another decoupling intent message is received, the method proceeds to step S160, where the pairing data connection is disconnected and the physical fleet is disbanded.

[0096] Finally, the method ends in step S170.

[0097] During the time interval between establishing a paired data connection (step S130) and establishing a physical fleet 120 (step S140) and disconnecting the paired data connection (step S160), the fleet 120 is formed by a non-truck vehicle 100 following a truck vehicle 122.

[0098] In this context, it should be noted that although in the above embodiments the first vehicle is a non-truck vehicle 100 and the second vehicle is a truck vehicle 122, the first vehicle can be a truck vehicle 122 and the second vehicle can be a non-truck vehicle 100.

[0099] Furthermore, it is possible for the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device 112 and / or the pairing candidate unit 114 and / or the external unit to calculate negotiation characteristics, such as the cost per kilometer of the joint route or credits for reducing CO2 emissions. Therefore, negotiation information and / or fleet information must be considered. Advantageously, the calculations are performed in addition to step S160.

[0100] Furthermore, after step S150, additional steps may be performed in which, for a certain pause time or pause segment, the convoy is paused, and the paired data connection is disconnected and / or the physical convoy is disbanded. At the end of the pause time or pause segment, the method proceeds to step S130, in which the paired data connection is re-established, and further to step S140, in which the physical convoy is re-established.

[0101] To determine the second vehicle to be selected, the pairing candidate unit 114 performs the following... Figure 6 The algorithm is shown. Based on the above embodiment of the method for forming a fleet 120, and for the sake of simplicity, an algorithm for the pairing candidate unit 114 for non-truck vehicles 100 is described.

[0102] Considering that the first vehicle according to the present invention may be a non-truck vehicle 100 or a truck vehicle 122, the pairing candidate unit 114 may be a pairing candidate unit 114 of the non-truck vehicle 100 or a pairing candidate unit 114 of the truck vehicle 122.

[0103] The method begins at step S120a, where a first truck-type vehicle 122 is selected as the currently selected second vehicle, and a score value for the currently selected second vehicle is calculated based on negotiation information and taking into account at least one pairing criterion 124a, 124b, 124c. The selection and associated score value are then stored in data D120b.

[0104] The method then proceeds to step S120c, where it is determined whether another truck-type vehicle 122 is interested in pairing. If this is not the case (step S120c: No), the method proceeds to step S120d, where the currently selected second vehicle is output based on the information stored in data D120b, and the method ends.

[0105] If another truck 122 is interested in the pairing (step S120c: yes), the method proceeds to step S120e, where the other truck 122 interested in the pairing is selected as the next truck 122.

[0106] Next, based on the negotiation information received from the next truck 122, at least one pairing standard 124a, 124b, 124c is determined, and the score value of the next truck 122 is calculated (step S120f).

[0107] In the subsequent step 120g, the score of the next truck 122 is compared with the score of the currently selected second vehicle 122 stored in data D120b.

[0108] The method proceeds to step S120h, where it is determined whether the score of the next truck 122 is higher than the score of the currently selected second vehicle 122. If this is not the case (step S120h: No), the method returns to step S120c, where it is determined whether another truck 122 is interested in the pairing.

[0109] If the score of the next truck 122 is higher than the score of the currently selected second vehicle 122 (step S120h: yes), the method proceeds to step S120i, where the next truck 122 is selected as the currently selected second vehicle 122. The next truck 122 is selected as the currently selected second vehicle 122, and its corresponding score is stored in data D120b.

[0110] The method then returns to step S120c, where it is determined whether another truck-type vehicle 122 is interested in pairing.

[0111] Following step S120h, an additional step may be included, in which the truck vehicle 122 with the lower score is informed that it is rejected due to the lower score. Therefore, the truck vehicle 122 may send modified negotiation information. The matching candidate unit 114 processes this modified negotiation information as another truck vehicle 122 interested in matching and continues in step S120c.

[0112] Alternatively, the algorithm described for determining matching candidates can be executed on a server, which may be located outside the vehicle.

Claims

1. A non-truck type vehicle (100), comprising A vehicle-to-vehicle communication device (112) adapted to exchange negotiation information with at least one truck-type vehicle (122) to form a convoy (120) consisting of the non-truck-type vehicle (100) following exactly one truck-type vehicle (122), and adapted to receive convoy information when the convoy (120) exists, and A driving control device (110) adapted to control the intra-platform distance (i) between the non-truck vehicle (100) and the truck vehicle (122) based on received platoon information, wherein, The vehicle-to-vehicle communication device (112) includes a pairing candidate unit (114) adapted to identify a truck vehicle (122) as a pairing candidate based on the negotiation information and taking into account at least one pairing criterion (124a, 124b, 124c), and adapted to calculate negotiation features, wherein the pairing candidate unit (114) further includes a human-machine interface unit (136) including an input / output device (138), wherein the input / output device (138) is adapted to allow a driver or passenger to adjust a weighting factor of at least one pairing criterion according to his / her preference, wherein the weighting factor adopts any value on a predetermined scale.

2. The non-truck vehicle according to claim 1, in, The truck-type vehicle (122) has a permissible gross weight of more than 7,200 kg.

3. The non-truck vehicle according to claim 2, in, The truck-type vehicle (122) has a permissible gross weight of more than 27,200 kg.

4. The non-truck vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, in, The non-truck type vehicle (100) has a normal permissible gross weight of less than 4,600 kg.

5. The non-truck vehicle according to claim 4, in, The non-truck type vehicle (100) has a normal permissible gross weight of less than 3,900 kg.

6. The non-truck vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, in, The driving control device (110) is adapted to control the driving speed of the non-truck vehicle (100) based on speed change information received by the inter-vehicle communication device (114) as part of the fleet information from the truck vehicle (112).

7. The non-truck vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, It is also suitable for controlling the steering of non-truck vehicles based on steering information received by the inter-vehicle communication device as part of the fleet information from truck vehicles.

8. The non-truck vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, in, The driving control device (110) is adapted to control the non-truck vehicle (100) based on environmental information received by the inter-vehicle communication device (112) as part of the fleet information from the truck vehicle (122).

9. The non-truck vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, in, The driving control device (110) is adapted to control the non-truck vehicle (100) based on truck vehicle status information received by the inter-vehicle communication device (112) as part of the fleet information from the truck vehicle (122), the truck vehicle status information including speed change capability information and / or steering capability information and / or detection capability information.

10. The non-truck vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, in, The vehicle-to-vehicle communication device (112) is adapted to receive the fleet information via short-range communication (126).

11. The non-truck vehicle according to claim 10, wherein, The short-range communication mentioned is V2X communication.

12. A convoy comprising a truck-type vehicle (122) and non-truck-type vehicles (100) adapted to drive behind the truck-type vehicle (122) according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The convoy according to claim 12, in, The truck-type vehicle (122) includes at least one vehicle-to-vehicle communication device (132), which is adapted to exchange negotiation information with the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device (112) of the non-truck-type vehicle (100) and to transmit fleet information received by the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device (112) of the non-truck-type vehicle (100).

14. The convoy according to claim 12 or 13, in, The truck includes at least one sensor (134) adapted to transmit environmental information received by the at least one vehicle-to-vehicle communication device (132) of the truck (122).

15. The convoy according to claim 12 or 13, in, The truck-type vehicle (122) sends fleet information to only one non-truck-type vehicle (100).

16. A method for forming a convoy (120), said convoy consisting of a first vehicle followed by a second vehicle, wherein, One of the first vehicle and the second vehicle is a non-truck vehicle (100), and the other of the first vehicle and the second vehicle is a truck vehicle (122), the method comprising: Step 1: The vehicle-to-vehicle communication device (112, 132) of the first vehicle sends pairing intention information, which is received by at least one second vehicle; Step 2: The inter-vehicle communication device (112, 132) of the first vehicle receives negotiation information sent by at least one second vehicle; Step 3: Based on the negotiation information and taking into account at least one pairing criterion (124a, 124b, 124c), the selected second vehicle is determined as a pairing candidate, and the driver or passenger adjusts the weighting factor of the at least one pairing criterion according to his / her preference using the input / output device (138) of the human-machine interface unit (136) of the pairing candidate unit (114) of the non-truck vehicle's inter-vehicle communication device (112, 132), wherein the weighting factor adopts any value on a predetermined scale; Step 4: Establish a paired data connection between the inter-vehicle communication device (112, 132) of the first vehicle and the selected second vehicle for exchanging fleet information; Step 5: Establish a physical convoy, wherein the first vehicle and the second vehicle are close to each other, and the non-truck vehicle (100) is lined up behind the truck vehicle (112), and Step 6: Control the intra-fleet distance (i) between the non-truck vehicle (100) and the truck vehicle (112) by controlling the driving of the non-truck vehicle (100) based on the received fleet information.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: Step 7: Disband the physical convoy and disconnect the paired data connections, allowing the vehicles (100, 122) to drive independently again. During the entire time period between establishing and disconnecting the paired data connection, the convoy is formed by exactly one non-truck vehicle (100) following exactly one truck vehicle (122).

18. The method according to claim 16 or claim 17, further comprising: The convoy is suspended for a certain pause time or pause section, wherein control of the intra-convoy distance (i) between the non-truck vehicles (100) and the truck vehicles (122) is temporarily suspended, and The convoy continues at the end of the pause time or pause segment, wherein control of the intra-convoy distance (i) between the non-truck vehicle (100) and the truck vehicle (122) via the paired data connection is reactivated.

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